Page 107 of Mistaken Prejudice

“No what? No, what, Miles?” I threw my hands in the air and turned to walk away, only to turn back again and face him. “From all the people out there, it had to be him? Did you seriously think so little of me that the minute we fought, you went behind my back and fucked him? The guy broke my arm, for fuck’s sake! He beat the hell out of me because of you.”

“H-He what?” he asked, but getting into it was pointless.

“It doesn’t matter. Nothing does, not anymore. Just go home, Miles.”

He was crying again, his body shivering under the jacket I gave him.

I can’t feel sorry for him, and I won’t.

“I’m sorry, Andrei. I didn’t mean to. I love you.”

I love you. What a lie. I knew those words were a lie. My mom used to say them to me all the time, and yet, it didn’t stop her from lying to my face over and over again. Apparently, Miles was no different.

“Please, forgive me. I love you.”

My mom? I gave up on her long ago. But Miles? Hearing those words coming out of his mouth after knowing what he did? Knowing how I felt for him?

“You broke my heart!” I screamed. “You broke my fucking heart, Miles. No one has ever made me feel this worthless. No one has ever made me hurt so fucking much. I thought my mom managed to, but fuck.” Tears gathered in my eyes, and I didn’t even try to stop them now. “At least I knew not to believe her but you?” A broken laugh escaped my throat before it turned into shouting. “I wish I had never loved you. I wish I had never met you.”

“Andrei,” he cried out my name, reaching to hug me, but I grabbed his wrist before he could touch me and held him still. With only an inch between us, I leaned toward him, my lips almost brushing his. “Don’t say my name. In fact, forget it. Erase it from those poisonous lips of yours and listen to me carefully because it will be the last time I’ll ever speak to you. Move on with your life and leave me the fuck alone, because for me? You’re fucking dead, Miles. Dead.”

Letting go of his hands was the hardest thing I ever needed to do, but I did. I walked away from there, knowing very well that the shards of my heart were still his to hold, and they might forever stay that way—his and broken.

Chapter 33

Miles

“Where the hell have you been?” Shay-Lee asked as he ran out of the house to greet me. The moment he was at arm’s length, I punched his face.

While my punch seemed to do nothing to him, I think I cracked my knuckles, if the cracking sound said anything. Frankly, with the amount of adrenaline that rushed through my blood, I felt no pain. What I did feel was fury, anger, and hate—self-loathing above all but also wrath toward this guy who pretended to be my friend all along.

I was surrounded by traitors.

First, my dads, who told Andrei about me. Then Shay-Lee.

Shay-Lee, who threatened Andrei. Who hurt him. No, Miles. You were the one who hurt him the most, remember? You’re the one who made Andrei cry. You’re dead to him now, dead.

“Fuck, Miley, stop!” Shay-Lee panicked and grabbed my arms. “Don’t hit yourself,” he said, and I realized I was pounding my head with my fists.

“Don’t touch me.” I pushed him away. I needed him to stay away.

“Miles. Fuck, you’re hurt. Let’s go back inside, and I’ll call Elliot, okay? It’s cold, and you’re barely dressed.”

“You’ve hurt him,” I heard myself saying. “You’re the one who broke his arm?”

I saw the change in his expression, and it was enough for me to know it was the truth.

“How could you?” The tears started rolling down my face. “How could you do this to me?”

“Miley.” He stepped closer.

“Don’t come near me!” I shouted. “Don’t come near me!”

“Fuck, Miley.” He was the one to shout now, throwing his hands in the air. “I’m sorry. Okay? Fuck, I’m sorry.”

He beat Andrei, broke his arm, and he was sorry? Andrei wanted me dead, and he was sorry?

“It’s just that he was in the way, you see?” When he moved toward me this time, I didn’t stop him. I was too focused on that one thought that kept haunting me. Andrei wants me dead. And if I was dead to him, what was even the point?